Over the last year and half, LCV ran our largest climate campaign ever, and now we’re celebrating that Congress has passed the strongest climate action legislation in history. This landmark bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, is a historic victory that took relentless activism of a diverse coalition – including labor, environmental justice advocates, and young people. It’s been a busy week for our partners across the Conservation Voter Movement, who headed to their senators’ state offices this week to thank them for voting yes and rally support for the bill!  

While passing this bill means massive progress toward a clean energy future for our country, the fossil fuel industry still has too much power, and the fight for environmental justice is far from over. There are multiple provisions in this bill that could harm communities already on the front lines of the climate crisis, particularly communities of color and under-resourced communities in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and Appalachia. 

We will continue to fight back alongside communities on the ground against any destructive, unnecessary build out of fossil fuel infrastructure at the federal and state level. This includes the already fraught Mountain Valley Pipeline, which recklessly endangers water quality for thousands of people, family farms, and wild mountains and their habitats (watch local activists fighting the pipeline in this video tweet from the Protect our Water, Heritage, Rights Coalition). It also includes attempts to maintain oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, which will do nothing to bring down the price of gas at the pump today and will only increase climate pollution with devastating health impacts on communities, especially Indigenous communities and communities of color who live near oil and gas extraction and processing sites.

Though these fights against the still-too-powerful fossil fuel industry and corporate special interests will continue, we are proud of and grateful for the hard work of our partners across the Conservation Voter Movement who have fought hard for climate legislation. We will continue to fight like hell for environmental justice for all. 

SEE OUR STATE LEAGUES IN ACTION!

New Jersey LCV met with Senator Menendez and Senator Booker  to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act’s historic investments to curb climate pollution.(@NJLVC on Twitter)

Nevada Conservation League visited Senator Cortez Masto’s and Senator Jacky Rosen’s office to thank them for voting to pass the Inflation Reduction Act. (@NVconservation on Twitter)

“We need to leave the planet healthier for future generations. Young activists get that: finally the U.S. Senate gets it and is going to act on it.”–Sen. Alex Padilla

Oregon League of Conservation voters met with Senator Merkley to share their excitement! (@OLCV on Twitter)

From New York LCV, Vice President Josh Klainberg, Deputy Director of Politics Casey Petrashek, and their amazing team of interns headed to Senator Schumer’s office to deliver over 1,000 signatures in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act to Chief Policy Director Patrick Donovan. (@nylcv on Twitter) 

“There is no doubt that this bill would be the biggest climate action we have ever taken. It will be a victory for the planet and a victory for people across the country. If we succeed, it will be because there is a young generation demanding action, and they deserve all the credit.” –Sen. Brian Schatz

In Maine, Maine Conservation Voters made signs to stop by Senator King’s office in Augusta and express gratitude for his climate leadership that helped get us to this point. (@MCVoters on Twitter)

Michigan LCV visited Senator Stabenow’s district office last week to talk with her about climate action and ask her to do everything in her power to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, then headed over to Senator Peters’s office to hand-deliver a personal letter from constituent Lisa W. thanking the senator for his commitment to bold climate action (@MichiganLCV on Twitter).

Senator Markey told environmental activists outside the Capitol: “This is your day. This is your victory. This is the change that you were calling for. You ARE the change.”

Wisconsin Conservation Voters met with Senator Baldwin’s Madison office to thank her for fighting for clean energy and climate progress. Her work on behalf of Wisconsin and its environment and people has been invaluable! (@WIConservation on Twitter).

Illinois Environmental Council’s Executive Director  Jen Walling joined Senator Durbin and Pat Devaney of  the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations to celebrate the Act’s passage.

“This afternoon is about people beating power… People count more than power. We’re going to show that, finally, grassroots is prevailing over the powerful.”  Sen. Ron Wyden

In addition to on the ground activity, LCV and state affiliates directed over 1,300 calls into key Senate and House offices. They also worked hard to ensure people on the ground know the enormous benefits the Inflation Reduction Act will have on their communities. Check out our state affiliates’ statements in local news stories in New Mexico, Georgia, New York, Illinois, California, Maine, Nevada HERE and HERE, New Jersey, and Ohio HERE and HERE.

LCV has 30+ state leagues that mobilize resources and local expertise to push for policies and legislation that benefit their communities. Find your state league in our Conservation Voter Movement directory and join the fight!!